Monitoring and notification system and method

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for monitoring a plurality of sources meeting predetermined criteria and providing a user the data meeting the criteria. The method and system are particularly suited for monitoring sources potentially containing information related to class actions and providing the user with data related to class actions.

1 . A method for monitoring class actions comprising: 
 providing a plurality of sources potentially containing data related to at least one class action;    selecting a set of criteria configured to select class action data related to the at least one class action from the plurality of sources;    applying the set of criteria to the data contained in the sources;    storing class action data meeting the set of criteria in a storage device;    providing a user interface through which the user can access to the stored class action data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing the user interface comprises providing a Web site.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the class action data comprises storing at least one deadline for a class action.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, automatically notifying the user of the at least one deadline.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the sources comprises monitoring at least one source from the group consisting of: an Internet-based legal news publication, an on-line newspaper, a claims administrator's Web site, and a plaintiff's bar Web site.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving input from the user  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving user data, the user data comprising information about the user;    comparing the user data to the class action data; and    determining whether the at least one class action is of interest to the user based on the similarities between the user data and the class action data.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, if the at least one class action is determined to be of interest to the user, notifying the user of the at least one class action.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the user data comprises information about products or services used by the user.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the class action data comprises the class definition.  
     
     
         11 . A system for monitoring class actions, the system comprising: 
 at least one server;    at least one storage device in communication with the at least one server;    a monitoring module for monitoring a plurality of sources potentially containing data related to at least one class action, applying a set of criteria to the data contained in the plurality of sources, the set of criteria configured to select for information related to at least one class action from the plurality of sources, and storing class action data meeting the set of criteria in a storage device; and    a Web site on the at least one server for providing a user interface through which a user can access the class action data.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a notification module for automatically notifying the user of the data related to the at least one class action stored in the at least one storage device.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the set of criteria are configured to select for deadlines in class actions and wherein the notification module is configured to automatically notify the user of the deadlines.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the monitoring module is further configured to receive user data, the user data comprising information about the user, compare the user data to the class action data, and determine whether the at least one class action is of interest to the user based on the similarities between the user data and the class action data. 
 A computer software program product for monitoring class actions embodied on a computer useable medium, comprising:    a monitoring application that runs on a server in communication with a computer network and is configured to monitor a plurality of sources potentially containing data related to at least one class action, apply a set of criteria to the data contained in the plurality of sources, the set of criteria configured to select for information related to at least one class action from the plurality of sources, and store class action data meeting the set of criteria in a storage device; and    a notification application that runs on the server and is configured to automatically notify the user of the class data related to the at least one class action stored in the storage device.    
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 15 , further comprising a user interface application that provides the user a user interface from which the user can access the class action data.  
     
     
         16 . The product of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring module is further configured to receive user data, the user data comprising information about the user, compare the user data to the class action data, and determine whether a class action is of interest to the user based on the similarities between the user data and the class action data.  
     
     
         17 . The product of  claim 17 , wherein the notification module is further configured to, if the at least one class action is determined to be of interest to the user, notify the user of the class action of interest.